July 31, 2013

I would like to start off with a little school lesson this
morning, if y’all don’t mind. Recently Mabel was scolded for
calling Bryon “daddy.” That makes my heart sad. I will never mind that this person had absolutely no business
whatsoever scolding my child for something she’s done… on her own… since age 2. And instead I’m going to take the high road on the internets today and post the Merriam-Webster definition of FATHER for all of you. Maybe someone will learn something.

Mabel
is very blessed that she has two daddies and she would like for it to stay that
way. She loves the both the same and her heart is big enough to hold two after all. Anyone that doesn't like that can take it up with moi. Amen.

So the kids have been back in our house for 4 days. We put
another 840 miles on the ‘burb to go pick them up and it was well worth it. That
said, the quiet has gone. The cats are very happy that their little people are
home and I think, quite possibly, that Bo missed being carried around the house
by Moo. There has been a lot of laundry, wrestling, and iPod re-calibrating. Lots
of giggling and hugging – oh my, the hugging. I could barely move in the house
for the first two days, but for one of the kids outright attached to my body.
Trevor is possibly the clingiest; he is super happy to be home. All 3 of them
want eleventy hugs before bed. They have all asked to pray and sat on laps. It
feels good to have been missed.

On Monday night, Mabel and her best friend Peyton decided to
paint their fingernails without asking. They also painted their legs, their
hair, the swingset, and the neighbor’s schnauzer. Good times. And I can’t wait
until they are 15.

Our technology rules at home stand thusly: there is no open
access to the internet (this includes email, YouTube, Facebook, iTunes or
browsing) at ANY time by anyone that isn’t an adult. They can ask, obtain
permission, and go on occasionally for homework purposes, to say hello to
family and friends, or to look up fun things. Parental controls reign supreme. We
restrict because WE ARE THE PARENTS and because little people Google things
like naked people, toenail fungus, and text with anyone that contacts them, for
fun. No. It might be okay at someone else’s house but it is not at ours. Also, we
need to be picking up the phone to converse with people instead of relying so
heavily on email and text. I’m not about to grow up another 4 kids who can’t
communicate properly. No. Anyone who doesn't like it can take it up with moi.
Amen. Again.

So for those of you monitoring the daily progress of my hair
growth, how about an update? In February, I cut my hair into a pixie. Multiple
reasons (go, hair health!) but overall, I couldn't get comfortable with the
look. I've been growing it out ever since. Biotin works, Ladies. So do prenatal vitamins, but I didn't have those. Last month, I had the back mullet chopped off and finally this week, I’ll
go have it trimmed again into an actual haircut. The length will come up in the
back just slightly, but it’s the right thing to do at this point. Also, while
using my dry shampoo last night, I came across a very silver hair that ran the
full length of my hair. My first reaction was disgust: the gray hair is spreading
and I really must make a decision soon if I’ll dye it or not. My second reaction
was positive ELATION when I realized the gray ran the full length of my hair.
That means that any semi-permanent color that was residual on my hair from last
year’s blonde has washed away. For the most part, my hair is virgin again. Wow.
It’s been almost 3 years since the last time it had no dye or bleach. I think
that’s pretty nifty. Also pretty nifty? I think it's been about 20 years since I didn't have bangs.

LifeLight is soon upon us. Bryon is chairing the committee
with me again this year and we've been talking about it for weeks. He’s alllll
about listening to Flyleaf, For King & Country, and the Rhett Walker Band
this year. I love growing in the Lord alongside this man!

Hoping we can make it up to the lake at least one more time
before the summer comes to a close. The unseasonably cool temperatures don’t
make me want to jet ski, Peeps.

5. I LOVE this idea on refreshing an old item. Thrift repair and ripped jeans are quite the rage right now, so I love this method of showing the repair.

6. If I had the time, I would do this more often. I find that the kids eat much more fresh food if it is prepared ahead of time. The kids love the portability of this as well. And every child should be raised on hummus.

7. This faceted planter is awesome.

8. The large animal print and hide 'thing' is really growing on me.

9. Clay beads were something I used to make during French class in high school, when I wore Birkenstocks and had charms in my hair. Might have to do that again. And involve my girls.

10. I haven't quilted in a while. I love this pattern!

11. These delicate rings look the opposite of flashy, but still totally cool.

July 24, 2013

Just 3 more sleeps until the littles return. I’ve done quite
a bit of work on their rooms, so I can’t wait. More to come on that.

Hayley was over last night. We had to have a discussion on
honesty and chores. Little Miss isn’t so fond of putting away laundry. Instead,
she hides piles of clothes in clever spots around her room… which I found when
making their beds. This is the third time this has happened after telling me
she’d done the job. So we had to talk about what honesty and dependability mean. I leaned down to her level and I put my face in front of her face and said, “Remember how I’ve told you that I will
NEVER lie to you, no matter what you ask, NEVER?” (nodded head) “That’s what I expect from you,
too. Every time. Never, never lie. It’s worse than anything else.” She nodded
some more and then there were tears and hugs and giggles. She hugged me big and then wiped her eyes and took off in a flash because she said she wanted to write me a note.

"My life wasn't complete without you and now [our] family and my life are complete. Love, Hayley"

Be. Still. My. Puppy-Licked. Heart!

She also made me a friendship bracelet this week.

I really must do a post very soon on the plant hangers that
Hales and I made recently. She loved it so much that she was inspired to go
home and made umpteen friendship bracelets with the yarn and floss she had at
mom’s. Way cool. WAY cool.

I also really must go running a bit more often. I’m ashamed
to tell you how little I’ve done it this season. Should be zero excuses for
that but often, it is exhaustion.

Bo doesn’t let me sleep much. He’s rocketing through the
house every night, all night, or he’s licking my face all night long. He
clearly favors his mama, though this doesn’t really come out until sleepy time.
He also enjoys sleeping in between Bryon and I when we’re spooned and passed
out tangled in a knot. Not acceptable, Feline. No, no, no. And so between this rocketing and licking, he
scratches the wicker hamper or fights with a small shadow all night long and
makes SO. MUCH. NOISE. I can’t sleep with him moving about, but my husband can’t
sleep with the door closed. Ergo, Bo is allowed the run of the house by his
mama because my husband’s sleep means more to me than my own. Except I am
thoroughly exhausted. It’s been several days of this now. I’m hoping that he’ll
tour the kids’ rooms when he they get back and leave Mama alone. By the way,
Kiki is thoroughly nonplussed by all of these events. She knows what
night-night time is and sleeps soundly – in one place or another – all night
long. Wish he’d get the drift.

Last night, Bryon, Hayley and I went to a new used furniture
store. I typically don’t have much luck on Craigslist, but on a whim I searched
and found a nearly-new round coffee table. Solid wood, perfect condition, for
$39. We brought it home after I jumped up and down and fanned myself in
excitement 37 times. The thrill of the hunt, I swear!

I have a new coordinator at work. She’s amazeballs. She has
funky hair and a piercing or two, yet remains thoroughly professional when
dealing with everyone. I really enjoy working with her and she is an enormous
help to our department. Jesus gift right there.

And Dear B: I’m glad
that my excitement over a vintage coffee table makes you love me. Your chest
hair makes me entwined in you for life. Also, you're one hell of an alarm clock.

July 23, 2013

The children come home in 4 days. I'm very excited to see them and it sounds like they missed us too.

I was looking back through photos and realized how quickly they're growing. It's sad how fast every day passes. Where does time go exactly? How do we not spend every day squeezing the heck out of the ones we love, if we know we'll never get that day back?

Look at Trevvy Trev. He looks like a man-child. I am so proud of the man he's growing into!

(2009)

How about little Roo? Still as goofy and grinny as ever, but so big now. This child is my heart.

(2009)

And this peanut was literally a peanut a few years ago. Now she's a force. Try to hold that in your heart once!

Take the time to squeeze your littles, even if they're big now. Say the things you would say if today is your last day - because it could be!

July 22, 2013

We got to see Nana when we drove back to my old hometown. Oh, sweet Nana. It had been too long. She can't travel anymore after her valve replacement (just call her Judy Bovine) and she isn't interested in moving out to Da Plains... yet. Maybe one day. Until then we will miss her until our eyes cross and squeeze her as often as we can.

It was lovely to see her and smell her lovely, lotiony smell for a few days. I needed that deep in my soul. She just hugs differently, you know?

July 17, 2013

I have so much to say, but I am censoring myself a bit. I
hope you’ll understand for now and ignore any hidden snark that might leak out.

Last week, Bryon and I drove east to attend a court hearing (I’m
defending custody. I’m so not kidding.) and to drop off the kids for summer
visitation with Shoes. It was tense as we walked into his new place, as I shook the hand of his new friend, and took the suitcases inside - but we did it. Nevermind that the photos that hung gallery-style in his new place were taken by me - moments captured by a mother completely in love with her children and abandoned by her (then) husband. That was a little creepy, yes - but we marched on. Or in, rather.

Before the court hearing began, my husband prayed with me and
read his Bible in the truck while I was driving. Joshua
1:9 Be strong and courageous, for I am
with you wherever you go. He turned on The
City Harmonic’s Manifesto. Wow. Babe,
you’re AWESOME. And then he turned his wedding ring around so that the cross stamped
into the tungsten would be facing outward. LOVE. THAT. All spiritual warfare,
my husband in his purple tie. The hearing went well, however I expect things to
drag on for months like things always do. I am proudly asking you all for
prayer to surpass this trial with a smile on my face and not even a fluff to my
feathers.

Once we got home I had the chance to go thrifting alone. I
found a few things to take home – a cream afghan with fringe (oh the fringe!),
a pair of wide leg trouser jeans, and a Pyrex dish.

This week I was feeling more bad assed than I have in a long
time. I used to have my left upper ear pierced when I was younger. Like, 15
years ago. And by pierced I mean twice. I took them out after meeting my
ex-husband and tucked the bad ass away for too many years. And so this week my moxy combined with possibly too much Pitch
Perfect-watching landed me back in a bathroom with a diamond stud, isopropyl
alcohol, and my hair strapped back against my head. I was allllll set out to do
something slightly outrageous for a 36 year old mom of 4. There’s nothing to a
cartilage piercing really (if you’re a consenting adult, that is) and I
intended to find the old hole in the cartilage, and simply repierce the skin in
front and behind of the same hole. Relatively painless. After locating the
faint holes that existed there 15 years ago, I cleaned my ear and then pushed
the stud in a bit and… it slipped all the way through, effortlessly. Part of me
was like, ‘Of course! I’ve been a bad ass all this time!’ and the other part of
me was genuinely disappointed that it was the most boring piercing ever. Later
when I showed Bryon, he smiled and told me I was kind of a hippie. Then he
asked me to show Hales. Everyone thought I was a rock star. Now I get to shop
for wicked ear spikes and that is kind of exciting.

Last night, pandora’s box was opened a little. Bryon had
shit flying at him at supersonic rates and boy howdy, he did his best to catch
it all and clean me up. I was a mess of tears and screaming and he was watching
with his wide eyes. He later offered to sign me up for a kickboxing class. I
think he learned a bit more about my fragile heart and why I repeatedly say I
WILL NOT BE BULLIED. EVER. When I feel bullied or threatened, I latch the door
behind me and the haymakers start. Near death experiences will do that to a
girl. You can’t survive the shit I’ve lived through and not have a mark or two
on you. And boy oh boy have those marks made me stronger. Look out. I mean it. Look out. Ain’t enough bourbon in
Kentucky for me to forget it. Not that I drink bourbon. Blech.

What is it that they say about grace? Mercy? I need to find some
more of it.

While in my old hometown, my husband bought me a beautiful
silver bangle to commemorate the victory we felt. I haven’t taken it off since,
except to shower. It’s perfect and I love it so, so much.

Also while in my old hometown, we got to lay our eyes on Judy.
She’s doing quite well, puttering around her apartment reading tons of books
and smelling good like Nana smells. The kids saw her briefly before going with
their dad and it was hugs all around. It is amazing to watch Trevor and Andy
with her. Growing up in her home counted for something; Nana is forever in
their hearts in a permanent way. She looks at them with a greater
accountability because she knows their spirits. Little Moo was too young to remember
being Nana’s hippanus but Nana remembers. She cuddles on Mabel like no other,
trying to smoosh her spirit in by force I think. And I could sit in Nana’s
house forever, smelling Nana’s lotion-y smell. It just felt good to be there
and to help her with things. Seeing her made the whole trip worthwhile on its
own. I miss her already.

Wait! Speaking of bourbon, I have news! Bryon and I finally
caught wind of a concert nearby and will be cleaning our cowboy boots up
accordingly. Double billing: Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert !! HUZZAH !!

Somewhere in Iowa after a quadrillion hours in our vehicle,
my husband and I pulled off at a gas station for a snack. There, beneath the
beef jerky and to the left of the sunflower seeds, were my favorite snacks in
high school. I grabbed a bag and scarfed them within moments, try as a might to
make them last. I’ve grabbed a few bags since and taken them to the office.
Pizzeria Pretzel Combos and I are besties again!

Finally, I’d like to ask you to pray for some friends of
ours. Bryon and I have a coworker whose 4 year old daughter was just diagnosed
with a very rare form of brain cancer. They are very cautious about what they’re
sharing with others right now and the prognosis is what every parent fears.
Kallie is her name and she has bright eyes and long, brown, curly hair. Would
you please pray for God to cover her with healing and comfort, and for Him to
embrace her father, mother and big brother in peace? And finally, would you
please pray for every parent to stop for a moment and hold their babies close?
Life is too short, People. Make it count EVERY day.

And Dear B: Whoa, Fella. We got there. I was a bit worried you wouldn't catch me out of fear of... I dunno. But you did. Thanks for the best and strongest arms I have EVER felt. Thanks for cuddly tee shirts and for changing my clothes when I just didn't have it in me anymore. Thanks for not making me shut up and for listening. You are an amazing husband and I am so very grateful for you and for our family. I love you forever.

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rachelkrutsch

I'm Rachel. I'm married to a rugged Jedi and we raise 4 children in a blended family. Stick around to read about vintage fashion, awesome hair, works of faith, and laugh at how I love to do things the hard way.